2021 Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 Betting Preview
15 October 2021
The Round of 8 is finally here for the NASCAR Playoffs, and it happens to be hosted at Texas Motor Speedway for the first time this year. Many drivers have competed well here before, and it could translate here once again.
Last week’s Bank of America ROVAL 400 was highlighted by another Kyle Larson victory. All eyes will be on the favorite to win again and proceed into the next phase of the playoffs.
Race Details
Date: Sun, Oct 17, 2:00 PM
Watch on: NBC
Track: Texas Motor Speedway
Betting Overview
Racing in Texas has shown a mixed bag of results for many drivers. This is arguably one of the biggest stages and one of the most important races during the playoffs.
Some of the more experienced drivers have had success here, such as Harvick, Truex Jr., and even Kyle Busch. However, can these veterans take over with a younger star trying to turn it up?
Head to Head Matchup to Watch
Chase Elliott (156.898) and Martin Truex Jr. (158.713) are both interesting prospects. Elliot needs a win in order to continue his hunt for another playoff championship.
However, Elliot has not had much success in the playoffs nor the regular season other than road course wins. For Truex Jr., he has three top-six finishes out of four races in Texas.
Dunkel Index For This Event
The Dunkel Index is showing these top 10 drivers that could win this event. The following ten are:
1 Denny Hamlin 152.265
2 Kyle Larson 152.422
3 Ryan Blaney 156.011
4 Chase Elliott 156.898
5 Bubba Wallace 158.144
6 Tyler Reddick 158.221
7 Martin Truex Jr 158.713
8 Kyle Busch 159.943
9 Chris Buescher 160.182
10 Brad Keselowski 161.134
*index is subject to changes
Drivers That Could Win
Kyle Larson (152.422) will be difficult to overlook, especially with the recent win and being the favorite to win the playoffs. In addition, he did win the All-Star race back in June, so he has some success here.
Ryan Blaney (156.011) deserves some attention with the way he usually drives here. Quietly, he has put up top 12 finishes in all but one of his races. In addition, five of them have been in the top eight with the last seven races.
Even though Kevin Harvick (166.293) is eliminated from playoff contention, he can still disrupt momentum from other drivers. He has 12 top 10 finishes out of his last 13 starts here, with three victories too.
Potential Winning Pick
Kyle Busch (159.943) is the return champion of this race, which means a lot of pressure from the oddsmakers to perform again. However, he has not been selected as a favorite which could bode well for your pocket.
He has landed four consecutive top 10 finishes here, including the win in 2020. For his price, this is an excellent opportunity for at least another top 10 finish or victory.
Keep up with your latest NASCAR news coverage and betting pick previews at The Dunkel Index.